Many consumers are aware of the FRS Band and hybrid FRS/GMRS radios, commonly referred to as bubble-pack radios or “walkie-talkies,” that you can find at your local electronics, sports or superstore. Many ham/amateur radio users are also aware of dedicated GMRS or commercial “Part 90” radios, which many use on the GMRS Band (although not technically legal).
Another piece of radio spectrum, which is part of the same Personal Radio Service (PRS), that many consumers, hams and commercial radio users aren’t aware of, is the MURS Band. MURS stands for Multi-Use Radio Service, and is a set of 5 VHF channels usable for both personal and business use, does not require a license, and is typically utilized much less than the popular FRS/GMRS bands. Learn more about the MURS Band and view a channel chart here.
Being that MURS is in the VHF range (as opposed to UHF for FRS/GMRS), it’s typically better-suited for rural and outdoor uses. While the MURS rules limit use to 2 Watts, some MURS radios can use external antennas, which allows high-gain antennas and more range than most FRS radios with a fixed/integrated antenna can achieve. Fortunately, BetterSafeRadio has several MURS radios for sale! Our legal FCC-compliant RT27V-MURS radio is our most affordable type-accepted configuration.
Even though there are only 5 MURS channels to choose from, they are often quiet and underutilized, making them a great option for your family or business communications. BetterSafeRadio has designated MURS channel 2 as the Neighborhood Safety Channel for it’s popular Long Beach Safety Radio ( custom radio programming option and available in other areas by request) because of its high availability. Because the band requires no license, individuals families and businesses can use the same channel to coordinate local safety and anti-crime operations, with MURS channel 3 being the unofficial prepper/survivalist emergency channel for disasters, using the 3-3-3 Radio Plan (more on this and our modified radio plan soon). MURS channels 4 & 5 are often used for business, given that they were previously part of the Business Band. You can sometimes still hear stores like Walmart or even some drive-thru restaurants making use of those channels, but in many areas, they are often quiet and unused.
With the advantages of using affordable VHF MURS radios like the Retevis RT-27V-MURS and an array of accessories available such as a speaker mic or earpiece, a ReadySafeGo™ MURS handheld radio from BSR might just be your very best friend! 🙂
Many people don’t realize that in the event of a serious, extended emergency, disaster or civil unrest, it’s very likely that the mobile/cell towers will go down (or be taken down). There’s even speculation about an EMP (Electro-Magnetic Pulse) weapon being used, which could fry the cell network (but not necessarily handheld radios). As well, if the Internet goes down, then it won’t really matter much if you can find a wi-fi signal – it won’t talk to anything other than a local network, if that.
